The air quality in your home plays a crucial role in your overall health. Unfortunately, many homeowners don’t have any idea how to keep the air they breathe as clean as can be.
The good news is that there are plenty of ways to improve your home’s air quality, and many of them are both easy and affordable. Here are a few of the best air-quality improvement measures that you can begin implementing today.
Keep Up with Regular Cleaning
Our first tip is perhaps the simplest of all. If you are interested in keeping the air in your home clean, you should also be dedicated to keeping your home clean in general. Developing a regular cleaning routine is one of the best ways to achieve that goal.
When you fail to clean regularly, dust and debris will begin to accumulate in your house. When those filthy particles become airborne, your overall air quality will suffer.
To prevent that from happening in your home, begin by setting a clear schedule for cleaning all areas of your home. Your routine should include sweeping, dusting, vacuuming, and any other cleaning method you need to keep your living spaces free from filth.
Grow Houseplants
Some studies have shown that plants can reduce levels of indoor pollutants, including harmful gasses. As such, adding a few more houseplants to your home can aid in your efforts to improve your air quality.
Run an Air Purifier
Another incredible method for improving air quality is to run one or more air purifiers in your home. These machines are often portable and quite effective for removing pollutants from the air in your home.
When in operation, an air purifier machine will suck in air and run it through a filtration system. The filter collects harmful particles before the machine releases the clean air back into your room. Running an air purifier in your house for even just a few hours a day can dramatically reduce the pollutants present in your air.
Change Air Filters Regularly
Although you may not think about them often, there are likely several air filters in your home that you rely on to keep your air clean. The issue is that many homeowners fail to recognize that these filters need to be replaced on a regular basis.
Air conditioners, vents, HVAC units, and other areas of your home can all feature air filter vents that help to keep you safe from airborne pollutants. However, if you allow those filters to go unreplaced, they will cease to be effective. Only by checking and replacing your filters can you ensure clean air for you and your family.
Open Your Windows
One of the biggest issues that many homeowners face is that the air in their homes is stagnant. Stagnant air is more likely to be unclean and allow for moisture accumulations that lead to many other issues, including mold and mildew.
Fortunately, there is a simple way to ensure that the air in your home has a chance to circulate. By opening your windows for just a few minutes per day, you can ensure that stale air in your home has a chance to get out and that fresh air from outside has the chance to get in.
If you are interested in achieving the highest quality of air in your home, make it a habit to open your windows at least once per day. Even during the colder winter months, opening your windows to the outdoors is worth the cold drafts as it gives air pollutants a regular chance to exit your home.
Assess Your Air Ducts
Another household feature that many people fail to evaluate is their air duct systems. Air ducts are responsible for moving hot and cold air throughout your home, but if they don’t receive the maintenance they need, they can quickly malfunction.
Assessing air ducts is not something the average homeowner can do on their own. Instead, it is best to hire a professional to visit your home and ensure your air ducts are functioning at full capacity. By keeping your ducts in working order, they will be able to facilitate the circulation of clean air throughout your home.
Turn On Your Kitchen Vents
Although many people cook in their kitchens daily, too few people know how important it is to run their kitchen vents while using the stove. Whether you have gas burners or electric burners, cooking on the stovetop often produces many toxins that are harmful to your health.
Since the airborne byproducts of stovetop cooking can be so harmful, nearly all kitchens are equipped with vents that collect dirty air and clean it before you have a chance to breathe it in. Next time you start cooking a meal, make sure to turn your kitchen vent on. You should also check it regularly to keep up with air filter replacements.
Consider Dehumidification
One of the main causes of poor air quality is excessive moisture in the air. When moisture accumulates, it encourages the growth of mold and mildew, both of which are harmful to human lung health, especially if you suffer from asthma.
If you find that the air in your home tends to be quite humid, you should consider installing a dehumidification system. These systems allow you to monitor the moisture in your air and keep the relative humidity in your home at an ideal level that does not lead to growths of mold and mildew.
Don’t Burn Anything Indoors
Our final tip for improving the air quality in your home is to stop all forms of burning that take place in your home. This includes smoking, incense, candles, and any other item that gives off smoke.
The smoke that burning produces almost always has a negative effect on air quality and our overall health. Since that’s the case, it is best to avoid burning entirely if good air quality is your goal.
Get Your Air Quality Checked By a Pro
Although employing the methods in the list above will help you keep your air quality in check, it is quite difficult for the average homeowner to get an accurate assessment of how clean their air really is. In fact, to gain that level of insight, it is necessary to hire a professional to evaluate your home.
At Everest Building Consulting Group, we are experts at testing air quality and providing a wide range of services, including mold testing, moisture evaluations, allergen testing, and much more. If you are interested in discussing the quality of your air with us, reach out to learn more today.
